Are We Even on the Same Team?

Aligning Operations and Quality Drives Down Costs While Improving Efficiency

By Mike Hughes, EAS Independent Consultant

Have you ever felt like your co-workers are at a different company? Maybe, even a competitor who is trying to run you out of business? Yup – I have.

I am an Operations guy and the co-workers in this scenario worked in Quality Assurance. Funny thing is, they probably felt the same way about me.

The heart of the problem was different goals leading to different ways of approaching the business. Those differences made it seem like we were diametrically opposed. I was hard-wired to make as much stuff as efficiently and profitably as possible. My QA friends were trying to assure all our products met quality requirements. This seemed to often result in conflict.

Why does this happen? Many regulated businesses are required to have separate Operations and QA departments as a way of having checks and balances. Over time, without some kind of an agreement or discussion on how the two sides can work together they begin to work independently and sometimes in opposition.

What can be done about it? The heart of the solution involves creating something bigger – a shared goal. Without a shared goal, Operations and QA will optimize selfishly. It won’t take long for each organization to feel like the other is on a different team.

Aligning a shared goal across an organization sounds simple. Simple does not mean easy. It is more than creating a vision; it is creating a culture that is lived from the top down. It is enabling departments to see their roles not as a microcosm but as a holistic part of the whole. It is determining how departments support one another, and how they stymie, so that weaknesses can be strengthened for the greater good of all. Operations moves forward with efficiency and without sacrificing Quality. Each side understands each other’s pressures and works together to optimize the solution. Some call it a Total Quality Approach.

Changing culture requires a thoughtful and partnered approach to ensure everyone understands that consistently and efficiently producing a quality product is everyone’s job.

Here are 12-steps that have worked for me and my QA friends:

This kind of tough collaboration will likely create some challenges in the short term but yields a much better organization in the long run. Both Operation and Quality roles are vital. Being partners is the best approach.

Mike Hughes – EAS Consultant with over 30 years of Operations experience in regulated operations for P&G.

EAS works with companies to align collaboration across departments for best outcomes. For more information on how to work with our experts contact us.